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Canister filters and aeration

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Hello, I just started a 46 gallon freshwater tank 2 weeks ago after being out of the hobby for a good 20+ years. This will house an oscar and pleco until I move out of this apartment and get a bigger tank.

Question #1

I have an API Filstar XP-M and love the quietness and flow. I do not have an airstone but I have the outlet nozzle about an inch below the water surface, this moves the top of the water but it's not really breaking it, at least it is hard to tell. I know you need good gas exchange and did not want to get an air pump with air stone, but if I need it I will, should I?

Question #2

Fish have been in tank for 7 days now (i bought 2 rainbow tetra for cycling) and noticed the water is not really a nasty smell but it's not pleasant either, I just changed almost 50% of the water and it's mostly gone away, for now. I checked the water and I have no ammonia or nitrates but I have had a little high nitrites since I put water in the tank, could this be the smell?

welcome back to the hobby and things have changed a bit in terms of cycling.

what are you using to test the water?
what is a "little high nitrates?"

back to q1; you need the filter to break the surface somehow/some way. aim the input nozzle upwards at an angle to get some agitation?
otherwise, purchase a HOB filter as supplimental filtration/surface agitation.

what is the next bigger tank you plan to have for your oscar and pleco?

welcome back to the hobby and things have changed a bit in terms of cycling.

what are you using to test the water?
what is a "little high nitrates?"

back to q1; you need the filter to break the surface somehow/some way. aim the input nozzle upwards at an angle to get some agitation?
otherwise, purchase a HOB filter as supplimental filtration/surface agitation.

what is the next bigger tank you plan to have for your oscar and pleco?

Hi, thanks for the welcome and your response.

It was high Nitrites the ammonia was 0 and nitrates was low end of acceptable.

Ok, I kind of thought about getting a small emperor for it, but I think that's a waste, do you?

If I succeed at this then I will convert this 46 bowfront to saltwater then get a 100 or so for Oscar and Pleco.

Could you post actual numbers? like 1ppm/2ppm?
are you using the api master kit or test strips?
curious b/c what is high to me, may be low to you or vice versa,ya know?

and you can't really over filter-especially if you use the 46 as a grow out tank (as you say) for your oscar and pleco. those two are poop machines and need strong strong filtration to handle that.

so generally you want filtration rated for 2x the size of the tank.
not knowing your current filtration specs, you should have something rated at 90-100gallons just for your 46gallon.

perfect example is my 45gallon tank.
I'm running a fluval 306 (rated at 70gallons) and 2 marineland penguin 200's (each rated at 50 gallons) so i've got a total of 170gallon filtration just for my 45gallon tank. albeit that is a lot, it is only set up to seed my 306, then ill take one of the marineland off for back up measures.

I would get another filter. it will really help out.
and ya load that cannister up with that bio media. mind is packed full of bio rings in each of my 306 and hob's.

back to your cycle, there is a sticky here on cycling with fish.
3ppm is very high right now for your fish and probably hurting them

i would do a 70% water change and drop those levels down. wait a few hours and test again. that sticky thread goes into depth on when to test and do water changes for the safety of the fish and to keep the cycle moving along.

Sounds like your tank is not cycled as you have some very high nitrites

As mizzoutank as suggested, there is a good cycling with fish thread here that I too would suggest for you. There is a link to it below in my sig

I would also suggest a very large water change today as soon as you can to lower the amount of nitrites to 0.25ppm. Once the nitrite level hits 0.5ppm, it starts becoming toxic to fish

If you take your time to do the research FIRST, you can successfully set-up and keep ANY type of aquarium with ease."Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony CalfoFishless CycleCycling with FishMarine Aquarium Info [URL="http://saltwater.aquaticcommunity.com/"]

I would not add an Emperor or any filter that requires the constant purchase of filter cartridges but instead get an Aqua Clear 110 that only needs the media rinsed out in old tank water.

A problem I see is that you're "cycling" 45 gallons of water with only 2 little fish. That means you are growing only enough bacteria for those two little fish, not the addition of the new fish.

Also, I would not get an Oscar or a pleco until I had the tank for them. Too often in life things just get in the way of our plans or there are delays along the way. One Oscar should have a 75 gallon and an Oscar and a pleco are both heavy-hitters that have a lot of waste and need very good filtration. Pleco's require driftwood in their diet and should not go in new tanks. They starve to death. I would think of stocking with other fish that belong in a 45 gallon and wait on the Oscar and the Pleco until you have the proper tank for them.

Don't buy the horse before the barn?

I agree that the smell is probably due to high toxic levels. I have detected smells when I had high nitrates. Do you have a lot of rotting food in your substrate?

I would get another filter. it will really help out.
and ya load that cannister up with that bio media. mind is packed full of bio rings in each of my 306 and hob's.

I have a Fluval 405 and I am using whatever media that it came with. I hear everyone talking about bio rings, should I replace the drawer with carbon bags with bio rings as well or is the carbon a necessary component for the tank?

55 Gallon community tank that is probably a bit overstocked....dont judge me

IMO/E carbon is not required

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I don't run any carbon on a regular basis in any filter. Carbon loses it's effectiveness in just a few weeks. It does grow a bit of BB but after a while any contaminates it has absorbed is simply leached back out into the water column.

Instead of running carbon in my AC filters and canisters I use additional biomedia. I only use carbon to remove meds in QT.

Gas mileage isn't everythingOIIIIIIIOLack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.Why pretend there are no stupid questions? Actually, There are many stupid questions: "Should I drink this bleach?" Is just one example.
Having said that, Just because it's a stupid question doesn't mean that it shouldn't be asked. It's better to know.A warm beer is better than a cold beer. Because nothing is better than a cold beer, and a warm beer is better than nothing.